With Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, who combined for 52 homers this past season, free agents and their Yankees future uncertain, it would seem unlikely the team would entertain offers for Swisher before working through the free-agent process.

If Damon doesn’t return, the Yankees will need a left fielder. If Matsui comes back, he isn’t considered an outfielder.

And Swisher’s money isn’t offensive. Turning 29 next week, he will earn $6.75 million this coming season, $9 million in 2011. There is a $10.25 million club option for 2012 or a $1 million buyout.

That’s $16.75 million guaranteed for two more seasons, and if Swisher comes close to the 29 homers, 82 RBIs and .371 on-base percentage he produced this past season, he isn’t too expensive.

You know, shopping Swisher may not be a bad idea. There’s a part of me that suspects Nick is going to come into Spring Training next year about 20 pounds heavier than his already not fit weight of 2009. Why? Lots of partying this off-season…more so than usual for Swisher…given his new fame via being on the Yankees and them winning the World Series.

Maybe the Yankees are thinking the same thing here? Perhaps this is like when they moved Boomer Wells after the 1998 season?

Comments on Yanks Not Shopping Swisher?

By the same token, the Yanks are shopping everyone. They’re just doing their due diligence, seeing what the market is on their players. I don’t think they’re actively “shopping” Swisher, as you suggest.

Give Swisher the benefit of the doubt. You make it seem like he’s completely umprofessional and I don’t think anyone has ever accused him of that before.

Do a google search – there are reports that the A’s were concerned about Swisher’s excessive partying. And, to me, he was looking more and more like a dough boy as the season went on….sort of like Tony Gwynn at the end of his career.

If they’re not checking out what they could get for him, they’re not doing their jobs. He’s not a franchise player, he’s one of the happy mercenary band that passes through, here to be enjoyed and appreciated while it lasts. The day they can get more value by shopping him than by keeping him will (and should) be his last.

there are reports that the A’s were concerned about Swisher’s excessive partying.

Meh, whatever. He did nothing but show up, play hard and produce for the Yanks last year. What happened in his past life in other cities and on other teams is irrelevant since his most recent history is what counts the most.

Even if I were to indulge you in this respect, the fact remains that everyone in their early 20′s parties a lot. Swisher is turning 29 next week. If he’s anything like I was and like any of my friends are, he’s partying less at 29 than he did previously.

Again, I’d give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s done absolutely nothing wrong as a member of the New York Yankees and that’s ultimately what counts the most.

Swisher gives the Yankees a nice bit of flexibility for a modest price. However, his value, despite a poor WS showing, is pretty high right now. This is the last relatively cheap year on his contract, making this offseason the time to deal him at peak value. Whoever has him this year is also stuck paying him a little too much next year and barring some major improvement, any team buys him out after that. If he’s a difference maker in a trade, by filling a need on another team, he could very well go this year. Once the season starts, he’s probably with us for two. I like Swish and I hope he stays, but for the right player I wouldn’t miss him.

As many know I’ve both praised and knocked Swisher from the very second he became a Yankee. Shop him ?. They have a great clubhouse guy with power who is not that expensive and people want to see him go? Look, I’m not in love with him 100% either BUT he did hit for power this past year and what happens to the Yanks if Godzilla, Damonic and the Baseless Runner are all gone. austin Jackson is picking up the slack ? Or mini-mite Gardner? I don’t think so. another important factor is that he can play in NYC. Can Holliday play here? Bay probably could judging from his experience in Boston BUT why not keep a guy who isn’t making Vernon “Canadian Idle” Wells money and is much better than that bum right now! Keep Dick Swisher at all costs. He fits in too well with this ball club, it would be a shame be to rid of him at this point.

Steve, I was worried initially with him after I saw him play in Chicago and he looked lost in the field(not so much with Oakland though). I was concerned BUT now that the Yanks have someone who is versatile ,gets along well with the team and while he is not the most important cog in the machine , he’s a nice part of the whole. Why fix something that is not broken?

Have to begrudgingly agree. For all the misadventures, strikeouts, and numerous baserunning blunders – he stays. Who would you get to play RF – Brad Hawpe? – who walks less and Ks even more than Swisher.

Now that the Yanks have bought low, and rebuilt his value, if they can turn him into something more valuable, then do it.

But don’t dump him for 10 cents on the dollar. He has real value; they have to get real value back for him.
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The Yanks didn’t just trade Wells because of his party hearty reputation; they traded him for Roger Clemens, for spit’s sake.

By the same token, the Yanks are shopping everyone. They’re just doing their due diligence, seeing what the market is on their players. I don’t think they’re actively “shopping” Swisher, as you suggest.

This is exactly it. It’s November and at this point, everybody not named Jeter, Rivera, A-Rod and CC are “being shopped,” as in “feel free to extend offers for these players.”

Swisher is by no means untouchable. The Yankees acquired a guy whose value was Wilson Betemit and now have a guy with real value. Tons of teams would love a RF with his production (Fangraphs estimated Swish provided $16.5 million of value while only making $5 million), i’m sure offers will come in.

That’s the business outlook of it. Personally, I love Swish and hope he’s given a chance to follow up his season. He told us pre-2009 that his 2008 numbers were not him and he came in and proved it. He also worked very hard to improve his defensive game, which he did, and he was open to platooning with Nady as long as it meant being a Yankee. Unless Jayson Werth can somehow fall into our lap (impossible), i’d like to see Swish in Yankee pinstripes for 2010.